Pipe tongs



Aug. 9, 1927. 136385571 S. lT. SMITH PIPE TONGS 'Filed Nov. 19. 19:25` 2 sneetssneet 1 when not in use are held Patented Aug. 9, 19??.7.

narran stares SAMUEL T. SMITH, F LGS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

1212s Tones.

My invention relates tov pipe wrenches and tongs, which are very useful in the oil-well industry.

Tongs are employed around an oil well for making and breaking joints ot drill pipe and pump tubing and sometimes veigh inuch as 850 pounds. Such tongs are usu ally supported hy a three-point suspension directly adjacent to the centerot the derricl and are swung into engagement with one ot 'the parts to be connected or disconnected.

The tongs by reason of the manner in which they are supported do not reroain in a hori- Zonta-l plane when swung but tilt and theretore do not engage thepart Vabsolutely correc'tly. J i

lt is an object ot this invention to provide .tongs and supporting ineans which permit thetongs to be swung in a horizontal posi' tion into and out ot engaging position but prevent any side twisting orr tilting ot the tongs.

. Large tongs cannot be loosened when there is any tension thereon,l and are so heavy that two rnen are required to operate thein. lihen tongs are to be'loosencd the tension inus'tr tirst be reinovedthererorn and the jarra niust be opened. 'lhis requires they attention of the Vdraw-wOrks rnanjas well as two tong nien. l l

lt is also an object .of this invention to. provide tongs which may be loosened with a tension thereon and require ,only one inaiv tor the operation thereof.

lt is another object ot this invention to provide tongs havingfrneans for locking` said jaw in open orclosed position.

lt' is another object ot this invention to provide tongs having a novel `'torni ot liaw loosening arrangement which niay be operated by one man.

lt is a further object oit the invention to provide tongs in which the jaws lthereof in open position ready to receive a pipe.

lt is another object orp the invention to J rcvide tongs in which th'eparts are so arranged that the strains onv the jaws and con-- necting parts are all in` a longitudinal direc tion and not in a lateral or cross direction.

-Qther obj ects and advantages of the inven- ,i will be inade evident/hereinafter.y

to the drawings in which l illuseterred embodiment ot my invenvtrate a tion Application ned November 19, 1925.

and it consists in'unique tongs Aan Vinternal arcuate engaging tace serial No. 70,011.

Fig. 1 is a View voi" the head ot my tongs showing the jaws in open position ready to receive a pipe,

Fig. 2 is a view ot the tongs showing the pipe inv engagement with a tree jaw ot my invention,

Fig. Seis a view showing the aws in locked position around the vpipe and the manner in which the lockingis acconiplisheth y Fig. e isvan enlarged partially sectioned view showing the jaws in clamping position.

Fig.l 5 is' a section talren on the line of Fig. 4, and Y f Fig. 6 is a section talren `on the line G6 :of Fig. l.

Rcterringvto the drawings, a preferred torlnot my invention consists lot a handle 11 having a inaii'i jaw v12 formed integrally at one end thereof. The main jaw 12 has an arcuate engaging portion 18. An4 insert inernber 1 5 is carrledby the main jaw 12,

yhaving teeth 16 which project inwardly troni the arcuate engaging face 13. f

n Atone side of the `enlfgaging tace'l' and backwards.'therefrom ...tere extends through thel jawy 12 a'pivot 17 which'carries at the vopposite-ends thereof and to each side of the jaw 12,'lfree jawlinlrs 18. The other ends o'j the jt'reejaw links 18 extend on'opposite sides of a tongue 19 ol a jtree'jaw .20 and are Y secured thereto by a pivot 21, the :tree jaw links 18 resting near opposite ends ol:l the pivot 21. rhe tree jaw 2O is providedv with Se cured on opposite sides ot the free jaw 20 are engagement plates 2li. ylhese engagernent plates 2e have openings'l through which the pivotsA 21 vextend and are further provided with openings 2T through which screws 428, extend for sect ringr the .engageinent plates 24 The engagement plates 24' have internal arcuate'taces29 which are orined on the saine radius as the engagement faces 13 and 23. Qftn openingspring 'is carried on the ends of the 'pivots 17 and 21 and hy one oi: theV crews 28.v This opening spring is proidedl tor vthe purpose of resiliently holding the tree jaw 2O in open posit-ion7 such shown in Fig. 1 ot therv drawings. 4Directly in back of the engagement face 13 oit the 12V there is carried a inain pivot 32. tee opposite ends ot which entend through link perdons 311 ot a latch jaw support 35, this pivot 32 serving tol hingedly Ltightly tothe tree' jaw 20.

ves

jaw l2. The extending ends of the link portions 34 pass on each side of an inner end ot' a latch jaw 37 and are pivoted thereto by pivot 38 which extends therethrough and extends through the latch jaw 37. rThe link portions 34 have arcuate facesr39 and the latch jaw 37 has an arcuate face 33".

Extending from the inner ends of the link portions 34 is an arm 4l. rl`his arm 4l, as shown in F 4 and 5, extends between the free jaw links 1S and has a clevis 42 formed at the outer end thereof. A jaw-clamping spring 44 is compressed between a face 45 of the main jaw l2 and an adjacent face 46 of the arm 4l, this spring being retained in place by pins 47 and 43 of the main jaw l2 and the arm 4l respectively. A link 50 is pivoted to the clevis 42 by a pin 5l and is pivoted by a pin 52 to a lever 53, this lever 53 being pivotally secured at 55 to one end of the main jaw l2. The lever 53 is l -shaped, as shown, so that a portion 57 thereof extends forwardly in a position to be easily manipulated by hand.

Extendingl from the. main jaw l2 is a strop G having an inner face Gl and a side face 62. Formed on the latch jaw 37 is a projection 64 having an inner face 65 and an outer face 66. lli/Then the latch jaw is in open position, as shown in Fig. l, the inner face 6l of the stop 60 is in engagement with the outer face 66 of the projection G4, thus holding the latch jaw in this position. The faces 6l and 66 are held in pressural'engagement by the spring 44. rlhis spring 44 tends to swing the arm portion 4l of the latch jaw support 35 forwardly, which results in a tendency to swing` the link portions of the latch jaw support rearwardly. Since the latch jaw is carried at the extending ends thereof, it is moved rearwardly so that the outer face GG of the rprojection 64 pressurably engages the inner face Gl of the stop 60. This j'n'essure of engagement between the faces 6l and 66 may be released by s ringing the lever 53 from the position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3. This swinging of the lever results in swinging the latch-jaw supporting member 35' against the action of the spring 44 in a manner to draw the arm 4l rearwardly and move the link portions 34 of the latch-jaw support forwardly, thus releasing the engagement between the two mentioned faces.

A latcli-jaw closing spring 70 is extended around one end of the main pivot 32 and one end of the pivot 38. The extending end of the spring` 70 is provided with a hook portion 7 .l .vhich extends around the latch jaw 37, shown, so that when the latch jaw lis released the spring will swing the latch jaw into closed position, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

The latch jaw is provided with a latch lug 73 having an inner face 74 which engages a latching face 75 of the free jaw 20. Thus when both of the jaws are in closed position, the 'l'ree ends thereof will be locked together.

then the lever 53 is released from the position shown in Fig. 3, it will move into the position shown in Fig. 4 and the parts of the tongs will occupy the positions shown in this ligure. The `stop 60 swings inwardly until the inner face Gl thereof' moves adjacent to a face 65 of the latch jaw 37 and so that the outer face 62 of the stop (30 moves into a position adjacent to the inner face 65 of the projection G4. rliilhen in this position the latch jaw 37 is locked in closed position, since it cannot swing outwardly.

A complete operation of my invention is substantially as follows:

ln Fig. l the different parts of my inve-ir tion are shown in their open position, 77 denoting a pipe which is being extended into position to be. clamped. This pipe 77 entlie engagen'ient plates 29 and thus swings the free jaw 2O against the action of the opening spring 30 from open position into ciosed position, as shown in Fig. '2. The arcuate faces 29 of the engagement plates and the face 23 of the free jaw 2O are in engagement with the pipe 77. After the parts have been moved into the positionV shown in Fig. 2, the lever 53 is manually moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3. `When the lever is swung, the link 50 pulls upon the extending end of the arm 4l, thus pivoting the latch-jaw supporting member in a manner to swing the link portions thereof forward. This results in a disengagement between the inner face 6l of thel stop 60 and the outer face 66 of the latch jaw 37. lhen this disengagement occurs the closing spring 70 operates to swing the latch jaw into closed position. The latch jaw is shown in closed position in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, the latch lug 73 drops into .engagement with the latch face 75 of the free jaw 20, thus locking the free ends of the .free jaw and the latch jaw together. After the latch jaw has been allowed to move into closed position the lever 53 is released and the parts are moved into the positions shown in Fig. 4 by the action of the spring 44 forcing forwardly on the arm 4l of the latch jaw support 35. This act-ion results in the link portions 34 swinging rearwardly and movingv the parts so that the projection 64 of the latch jaw 37 extends to one side of the stop G() and so that the face G5 thereof l is in engagementavith the face 62 of the stop. The action of the spring between the main jaw l2 and the arm 4l. tends to pivot the main jaw l2 on the main pivot 32. This tends to bring the engagement face 13 into engagement with the pipe 77 and to contact the teeth 16 with the pipe. also thejtendency is to pull upon the free jaw 2O through lill) the vhandle 1-1 in a direction indicated bythejarrOW 79. This pivots ehe ina-in jaw `12v and,

tightens the other txvojaws against .the -pifpe 77`or forcing the teeth 16 linto the pipe Vuntil the' inner Vface 51 of' the stop 60 engages the face 75 ot theflatch jaw When this position 'has been reached the Jteeth 16 cannot Y #for-the tongs and tliisis possible by the novel f einbedany fartherU inthe pipe 77.

v'.Fhethree jaws are so arranged .that

exert an even pressure n'pon allportionsion the pipe 77 and will -not,` therefore .tend to Hatten the pipe; Allofthe parts except the handle of the tongs are designed Aso that'the strains thereupon are ina longitudinal direc? tion,v this 4permitting* alight construction of the tong-s"Withoutbreakage.'`

`Then theton'gs are to be rernovedfifronr A occurs'the supportingrodjV `88 Willoo cnpya posit-ionindicated by dotted' lines 90 VVVinto' ,position tol enga ge the g pipe',y and kwhen"v ,of Fig; V 6; One.veryiniportant .part ,of this manner of suspension is Qthat the kvtongs may be movedwflorwardly into engagement Withfa jpallyi because I" .provide va single suspension ga'riangeinent' of the channel formation' 86 Yvent "the tongs vfrom being `moved in any Adiand the construction of the'supporting rod]V l88. These'fconstructions cooperate' to prefv i '[5 'pip-e in ga horizontal piane. Thislis princi# Iso 'rectionl'exceptz into position for 'engagement Vvvithfa pipe.`r When .the tongsa're `in-fa position andl not in .a lateral or transverse direcY tlonffor engagement with the'pip'e'they'may be retracted into the position shown'in 'Figa` thisfpos'itionl The tongs are supported in the pipey 77,- thelever vis V engaged 'and snchfaplace that they-lane snbstantiallyin again swung into the position shown 4in" Fifa.y f balancel The supporting means is alsoisuch, hat thetongs niay-beiturne'd overjandiuse'd 3.' The latch jaWfBf is 'unlocked and may in 2, this being easily accomplished by From rthe foregoing description itffisevi-V ineans of a handle 80Which-extends theredentgthat iny'invention'residesinfaj novelk from; VVJhen the'latch mw; has beeny swung] -forinof'tongs havingthreefjaws adaptedlto '95 fj'.

6,A bntgcann'ot Ybel 'movedV outwardly/beyond I f into. open position the lever 53 s released; engage pipejWith requal pressures? The Y Vandithc: partsvmoved into suchpositionsfthat the stop 60 engages the projection 6i aspre viously described, thus V'again locking the parts will Yagain assum-e-the positions shown in FifgL 1 ready fertile-reception o fianothe'ry A further featnreof iny invention resides Vin the ina-nner in ywhich thehtongs aresnpported. Referringglpaiticnlarly 'to 'FigsrVIV 41 and 5' an opening85 is providedfthroughthe y Vhandle "il'di'rectly adjacent to thefinainj'aa'v ',r-ectio'not'the eX-tensionf- Y A Extending' "rom" oppositeslde of the handle- 12. this ooenind being elongated infthe di-v 11 and-around lthe fortvardend the slot The channel orniationsi-B 4co-opei-ateto provide a channel? throughthe handle' of ymeans vheneby said latclif-g the tongs. Extending through tliischannel 87 is a sup-porting rodf'g whichirnayjbe secnred in its flipper end`,'. noty shown; vvin any; *Y

snitablernanner; y 'I lie-lower' end otthefsupf tgh'e' tongs are prevented.;

' which 'entends i arounc'l"theffbottoni "ofthe lower channel portion` 86,'"fth-u`s providing means for supporting-the tongs.V The 'chan- -nei 87 Y is of ividthvery closet@ theadianleter the handle 11. Y

kfiee jawris resiliently retainedin openposi-z i 'f tion-, bntfniayfhe lmoved intoV yclosed position 5 g when the engagement platesarc engaged by:

closingl the jaw., Also o'firnportance lis the/means forlocllringrthe'latch javvinopen closed position and thenieans fon swing;

-1 the Vlatch jaw into'closed position xvhen Y Y it is;released The latch jaw support '35,vitsf.

- operating rrnecha lsnn ai `l the sprnig'fiiare "also iinportant:parts of my linventionv. Anzi Y iotherffeatureresides in the I su'pporting of :handling ofthe e y provided Vupon sai-d free jaw' Posmml f" 1n tone Lhe combination of ajhandle'fff Y .maingaxvl provided npongan of. saidlf ghandie .a vfree jan', Ysaid freejawbe'ing in- 4depenfle''nit-lytmovable,V a linkfineans connect" inf' sadfree -jaw tosadf'lnain jaw, aglagh W., a ilatch-j-WiSUPPOY EO, connecting; sei-d. Y

'jan are -elosed posi-` jtion'l"andgresilient:means for yholding isaidf,.m9 u

tree jaw in open position independently of said latch jan'.

3. ln tongs; the combination oit i handle; a inaiii jaw provided upon an end of said handle; a tree jaw; link means connecting said free jaw to said inain av; a latch jaw; a latch jaw snp port toi" connecting said latch ja to said main jaw; latchiiig ii'ieans Whereby said latch jaw is hitched to said 'li'ce jaw when said jaws are in closed position; resilient means 'toi' 'holding said fee v in op ii position: and means Whereliy said tree janv is sejY ii'ttteiy sii'nng into cli/)sed position when said toi are ino-red upon a pipe to be gi'ij'iped.

4. ln tongs; a main jaw pr handle; a free aw; link said tree jan' o said iiiain jan'; a hitch jaw; a latch janv su, connecting saidlatch jaw to said i ,i latchin a* means Whereby said l( t .i said 'tree jaw the conihiiiatioii-ol1 a handle; fined upon an end ot said means connecting jaw hitched to n'hcii said jaws are in closed position; and means )for jieldablj' i" ing aid latching jaw into cloi-eed position.

5. lin toi'igs, the combination of a handle; a main jaw provided upon an end of said handle; a. iiiee jaw; link means connectingl said tree an* to said main jan'; a latch jaw;

a hitch jan' support i'or connectingsaid latch jaw to said main jaw; latchingv means Whereby said latch jaw is latched to said tree jaw when said a/Ws are in closed position; ineans icoi Vieldahliv urging said latcliing jan'v into closed position; and means tor retaining said latch jaw in open position against said yicldable means.

6. ln tongs7 the combination ot handle; a main janv provided upon an end ot said handle; a 'lice jaw; link ineans connecting said tree to said main jaw; a latch jan; a. latch jaw suopoi'l' 'for connecting' said latch jaw to said main jaw; latcliing means whereby said latch jaw is latched to said tree janv when said jaws ai'e in closed position; means for j/'ieldably urging said latching janv` into closed position; means toi' ietaining said latch jaw in open position against said yieldable means; and means for inanuall \7 disciigaging said latching jaw ietaining means.

l'. fii tongs; tiie combination ot a handle; a main jaw providcil upon an end ot said handle; a t'i'cc jaw; link means connecting said treo jan' to said main ja I; a latch jaw; a latch jaw support 'toi' connecting said latch j a W to said main jaw; latchiii means Whereby said latch aw is latched to said tree jaw when said jaws are in closed position; resilient means ifoi' hold-.ing` said "free jaw in open position; means whereby said free jaw is swung into closed position when said tongs are moved upon a pipe to be gripped; and n eans toi` yieldably uging said latchin jaw into closet positiona handle; a 'free jav; link means connecting said tree janv to said main jaw; a latch jaw; a latch jaw support for connecting said latch au' to said main jaw; latcliiiig means Whereby said latch jaw is hitched to said tree when said jaws are in closed position; iesilieiit means toil lioldiiig said luce-janv in open position; means whereby said tree jaw is swung into closed position when said tongs are moved upon a pipe to be gi'ipped; ii'ieans Yi'or yieldabljfv iii-ging said latching jaw into closed position; and means toi' ietaining said latch jan' in open position against said `yieldable means.

9. ln tongs; the combination oiE a handle; a main jaw provided upon an end oit said handle; i'iee jaw; link means connecting said free jaw to said main jaw; Va` latch jaw; a latch jaw support toi' connecting said latch j aw to said main jaw; latchingmeans Wlieref by said latch ian' is hitched to said free jaw when said j; vs are iii closed position; resilient means toi" holding said tree jaw in open position; means whereby said free aw is swung into closed position When said tongs are moved upon a pipe to be gripped; means Vfor `vieldably urging said latching jan7 into closed position; means for retaining said latch jaw iii open position against said yieldable means; and means toi' manuall)v disengagiiig said latching jan7 retaining ine-ans.

10. ln tongs, the combination of a handle; a inain jaw provided upon an end of said handle; al free j aw; link means connecting said free jaw to said main jaw; a latch jaw; a latch j aw support toi' connecting said latch jaw to said main aw; latching means Whereby said latch Vjaw is latched, to said free jaw when said jaws are in closed position; means for yieldably urging said latching jaw into closed position; means :tor retaining` said latch jaw in open position against said yieldable means; means foi' manually disengaging said latching jaw retaining means; and latch-jaw positioning` means for retaining said latch jaw in closed position.

ll. ln tongs, the combination of a handle; a main jaw provided upon an end ot said handle; a free jaw; link means connecting said free jaw to said main jaw; a latch jaw; a latch jaw support toiconnecting` said latch jaw to said main aw; latching means Whereby said latch jaw is latched to said fieejaw When said jaws are in closed position; means Jfor yieldably urging said latching jaw into closed position; yieldably operated means toia retaining said latch jaw in open posimeans toi' retaining said latch jaw in closed position, said last mentioned lacing caused to operate by the release of said manual means for disengaging said yieldably operated latch jaw retaining means, when said latch ja v is in closed position.

12. In tongs, the combination ot' a handle; a main jaw provided upon an end otl said handle; a 'tree jaw; linlr means connecting said tree aw to said main jaw; a latch jaw; a latch jaw support tor connecting said latch jaw to said main jaw; latching means whereby said latch jaw is latched to said free jaw when said jaws are in closed position; resilient means tor holding said tree jaw in open position; means whereby said free jaw is swung into closed position when said tongs are moved upon a pipe to be j gripped; means ior yieldably urging said latcning jaw into closed position; means for retaining said latch jaw in open position against said yieldable means; means for manually disengaging said latching jaw res taining means; and latch jaw positioning means for retaining said latch jaw in closed position.

13. In tongs, the combination of a handle; a main jaw, provided upon an end ot said handle; a tree jaw: link means connecting said Jfree jaw to said main jaw; av latch jaw; a latch jaw support for connecting said latch jaw to said main jaw; latching means whereby said latch jaw'is latched to said free jaw when said jaws are in closed position; resilient means for holding said free jaw in open position; means whereby said Ytree jaw is swung into closed position when said tongs are moved upon a` pipe to be gripped; means 'for yieldably urging' said latching` jaw into closed position; yieldably operated means for retaining said latch jaw in openv position against said yield-able means; means ttor manually disengaging said latching jaw retaining means; and latch jaw positioning' means Mfor retaining said latch jaw in closed position. said last mentioned means being caused to operate bv the release of said manual means itor disengaging said yieldably operated latch jaw retaining` means, when said latch jaw is in closed position.

14. In tongs, the combination of a handle: a main jaw provided upon an end of said handle; a free jaw; link means connecting said reejaw to said main jaw; a latch aw; a latch jaw support for connecting said latch jaw to said main jaw; latching means whereby said latch jaw is latched to said tree jaw when said jawsare in closed position; means tor yieldably urging said latching jaw into closed position; yieldably oper.- ated means tor retaining said latch jaw in open position against said yieldable means; moans for manually disengaging said latching jaw retaining means; latch jaw positioning means for retaining said latch jaw in closed position, said last mentioned means being caused tooperate by the release ot' said manual means for disengaging said yieldably operated latch jaw` retaining mea-ns, when said latch jaw is in closed position; and a handle for moving said latch jaw from closed position to open position when said latch jaw positioning means are rendered inoperative by actuating said manual means 'for disengaging said yieldably operated latch jaw retaining means.

15. In tongs7 the combination of a handle, a main jaw provided upon an end otl said handle, a tree jaw, link means'connecting said 'tree jaw to said main jaw, said 'free aw being thereby supported by said main jaw, a latch jaw, alatch jaw support for connecting said latch jaw to said main jaw,v

and latching means whereby said latch jaw is latched to said tree jaw when said jaws are in closed position.

1G. In tongs, the combination of a handle; a main jaw rigidly provided upon an end of said handle, a tree jaw, said tree jaw being` independently movable; link means connecting said tree jaw to said mainjaw, a latch jaw, latch jaw support for connecting said latch jaw to said main jaw, latching means whereby said latch jaw is latched tov said tree jaw when said jaws are in closed position. and resilient means for holding said tree jaw in'open position independently of said latch j aw.

In testimony whereof7 I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 13th day of November, 1925.

SANIUEL T. SMITH. 

